Wind tunnels are used to test the aerodynamic properties of airfoils and other aerodynamic models. A conventional wind tunnel includes a tunnel, a fan for driving air through a test section of the tunnel, and a cone for increasing the velocity of the air flowing from the fan to the test section of the tunnel. The wind tunnel may also include a diffuser for reducing the velocity of the air exiting the test section of the tunnel.
The results from a wind tunnel test can be used to determine the lift, drag, pitching moment, and/or other aerodynamic characteristics of a model. In several applications, it is necessary to measure the pressure at different points on the model to calculate one or more of these characteristics. In such applications, a plurality of electronic pressure-sensing modules are placed in the model and connected to pressure ports on the model body to measure the pressure at each of the ports. The pressure-sensing modules are typically positioned side by side and taped to a plate within the model. Sections of flexible tubing are attached between connectors on the upper surface of the pressure-sensing modules and corresponding pressure ports so that the pressure-sensing modules are in fluid communication with the pressure ports during a test.
One drawback of conventional wind tunnel testing is that the limited space within the aerodynamic model restricts the number of pressure-sensing modules that can be placed in the model. This limits the number of pressure ports at which the pressure can be measured and, consequently, the data gathered during a single wind tunnel test. Another drawback of conventional wind tunnel testing is that there are no direct methods to mount the pressure-sensing modules. The modules are commonly taped to the model's interior structure. This tape can detach due to heat and vibration, allowing the modules to move around inside the model, which is especially problematic when the testing includes rough and/or inverted flight conditions. The movement of the modules may pinch the flexible tubing and/or decouple the tubing from the modules or model. Pinched and decoupled tubes not only skew the test results, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive to identify which tubes are problematic.
Another drawback of conventional wind tunnel testing is that connecting the sections of flexible tubing between the pressure ports on the aerodynamic model and the corresponding sensing ports on the pressure-sensing modules is extremely time-consuming and labor-intensive. For example, in several applications, the model may include over 1000 pressure ports. Because the pressure-sensing modules are expensive, the modules are typically removed after each test and placed in other models. As such, the slow and expensive process of connecting and disconnecting the sections of flexible tubing between the pressure ports and the sensing ports is repeated each time a model is retested. Accordingly, there is a need to improve the system and method for testing aerodynamic models in wind tunnels.